Incredible Algae at Calling Lake!!

[Drewski Canuck]

Was out at the cabin for the long weekend. Saturday was too rough but we tried to fish anyway! We gave up and headed in.

Sunday after the pancake breakfast at the Community Center we finally set out. The algae was so thick on the east side that the tackle and the line and the rods were quickly "gooped"

Water level is incredibly high but we have had a very hot summer. Wind has been steady Northwest to Southeast, so it is pushing all the algae to the east side. Normally the Calling river flushes out the algae from the lake, but that has not happened or has not happened enough.

A Friend did report success with bottom bouncers and dew worms trolled in the deep off of VW point, but it has been a pretty tough weekend for fishing.

Drewski

[Mumbles]

Ya it was absolutely disgusting in under 15’ and not much better even farther from shore, even on the south side near the PP boat launch on Sunday.
I did find success as well with a bottom bouncer and worms but needed to clean the gear off about every 15min or so until the wind and rain started.

[Drewski Canuck]

The strange part is that the creeks and the Rock Island River all flow from Crown Land so it is not a case of a high Phosphate level like what is found on a number of other algae prone lakes.

Calling did not get a blue green algae listing this summer, but apparently the bird poop caused a fecal colliform warning on McIntyre Beach last week.

Drewski

[wind drift]

Calling Lake has a large drainage area and is considered highly productive or hyper-eutrophic. This is its natural state, but more of the land in the drainage has been managed for pulp production in recent decades. Phosphorous flow to surface waters increases when forest is harvested or land is cleared. Nutrient loads can also spike following fires.

Anyway, this is usually the worst time of the year for algae in the lake and it should get better soon.

https://alms.ca/wp-content/uploads/2...1_20220506.pdf

[FredF2]

"Phosphorous flow increases when forest is harvested"

Im curious (so they tell me )... why is that? Is it from fertilize/phosphorus from logging operations or is it from something else?

[wind drift]

There’s a double-whammy effect. Trees tie up nutrients like Phosphorus, so when removed, less P is used by plants for a while (until reforestation occurs). The activity usually increases bare soil and runoff, which liberates nutrients and increases the amount and rate of transport into waters.

[H380]

Got a terrible algae bloom on a lake here in Southern Alberta , to the point that we lost a cow I fear from the toxins released ..so today we electric fence it off so we can graze the rest of the field..nowhere in Lethbridge to test the water and according to Ag Fieldman they are sure the algae is the culprit. . The health unit says they can't test private land water bodies for it , which I believe is an absolute joke .

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[Barry D]

I too was up on the weekend and the fishing was not good and the algae was as everyone else has stated. My cabin got broke into yet again, but thats a whole other story.
Now to my point. Lake Watch ( they are government funded, and maybe through the Alberta conservation association, but don't quote me on that) does up to three separate water testings each year on Calling lake in open water. They use Calling lake as a base line lake specifically because historically it has very little little impact from agriculture, industrial, human and forestry activities. I have volunteered my boat and time to take them around the lake so they can take water samples, etc in specific locations from shallow to deep water.
They say that the lake has its variables in organics, contaminates, chemistry, and clarity from year to year, but it is a tight band. The lake is considered very stable, healthy and therefore very valuable to be the "canary in the coal mine" for all lakes in north central Alberta.
I'm no scientist, but with the very high water this year, it makes sense that a lot of organic matter has entered the water which adds to the food that algae loves. Also with rain being the biggest contributor to the water levels, it has also brought up the temperatures, which again gives the advantage to the multiple species of algae.
Now, to be clear I only pacify myself fishing between hunting seasons, so please help me here. I still don't get where all the fish go, or do they just shut down under these conditions? Every year August-Sept are tough months to catch anything in Calling lake. Why????

[hilltops]

Was out to VW Point today and seen some blue algae. Some people were getting some fish .

[Walleyemagnet]

I was up at Calling a couple weeks ago and the algae was like this. I'd only ever seen it like this once before. It was like driving your boat through mud. It was so bad that I caught one walleye on a spinner rig, and I couldn't even reel it in because my rod tip plugged up, had to handline it in. I did end up catching a lot of fish though; stopped counting at 70 and then it picked up again after that. Jigging was the only way you could fish though, and still constantly having to clean the goop of your rig. Catching that many fish is not normal. Seems like there's getting to be too many fish in the lake again and they aren't looking overly healthy. Not looking as skinny as they were about 12 years ago, but my fear is that it will be getting that way again.

[Drewski Canuck]

There really is no reason to allow 2 walleye in the slot at Calling Lake.

It seems that the fish are reproducing prolifically as in the Winter you will catch lots of under 30 CM walleye when targeting perch. Alot are the size of perch!!

Then there are lots in the slot and plenty above the slot, so no logic.

The Bios know this fact from their test net samples that show a very solid age class distribution and considerable numbers as well.

Instead, the walleye eat everything else, and then there are no Pike recruitment, which is an obvious cause and effect problem.

But Bios do as Bios do. The sin of catching, keeping, and EATING a walleye must be punished in Alberta. Remember, sport fishermen are only tolerated.

Drewski

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Was out at the cabin for the long weekend. Saturday was too rough but we tried to fish anyway! We gave up and headed in.

Sunday after the pancake breakfast at the Community Center we finally set out. The algae was so thick on the east side that the tackle and the line and the rods were quickly "gooped"

Water level is incredibly high but we have had a very hot summer. Wind has been steady Northwest to Southeast, so it is pushing all the algae to the east side. Normally the Calling river flushes out the algae from the lake, but that has not happened or has not happened enough.

A Friend did report success with bottom bouncers and dew worms trolled in the deep off of VW point, but it has been a pretty tough weekend for fishing.

Drewski

I suspect rather than any flushing process, likely it’s the typical ebb and flow of algae and plankton. As the algae uses up available resources it will die off and settle to the bottom.

If there is a lot of nutrients flowing in you won’t get a die off. Maybe some cabins do not have a great septic field? Run off from agricultural lands or simply this year all the ash falling into the lake from forest fires could charge the nutrients up.

Heavy rains often causes algae blooms as it rains some nutrients as well as flushed nutrients out of the surface soil surrounding the lake.

Next year will be telling.

Hopefully lakes aren’t low and nutrient rich going into winter as it could impact winterkill.

[barbless]

CVR has not had an algae bloom this year from what I have seen. Even with the low water level and heat. Lake was pretty clear for the most part. Maybe I was on the wrong part of the lake??